It would help to know what budget this meal has and how much cooking experience you have.

If I was going to try and surprise somone I would make Thai Cuisine. It has some very interesting flavor combinations. Most meat and seafood curries can be made with a simple combination of a protein, vegetables, a store bought curry paste, and coconut milk. There are also many types Thai stir fries.

First of all, buy the specialized ingredients at an Asian market. They tend to be of higher quality than the supermarket variety. Heres a very simple and fast red curry recipe. I can't call my creation truly authentic, but it takes like 20 minutes to make and it tastes great.

RED CURRY CHICKEN

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts (cut into thin strips)
1 carrot (julienned)
1 onion (sliced thin)
1/2 red bell pepper (sliced thin)
1 T minced garlic
1/2 T minced ginger
4-5 fresh basil leaves
1/2 can red curry paste (you can add more, but it gets very spicy)
1 can of good quality coconut milk
1/2 cup of peanut oil (I usually just put enough to coat the bottom of the pan)
salt to taste
hand full of roasted peanuts or cashews for garnish
OPTIONAL: I like to add a slurry of a teaspoon of cornstarch in a 1/4 cup of water near the end to make it thick enough to coat the chicken, but this is not the classic consistency of curry as far as I know.

Directions:
1. Heat a wok (or a really big pan) for a few minutes
2. Add half the oil and the garlic, ginger, carrot, onion, and bell pepper and stir fry until soft: than remove from pan and set aside.
3. Heat the pan up again. (this is crucial, because if the chicken doesn't brown well it won't taste as tender)
4. Add the oil and the curry paste and mix them, than add the chicken.
(NOTE: this paste is pretty fragrant when it hits the oil, it actually made me cough if I had my nose too close...but in a good way)
5. Keep the chicken moving and browning on all sides.
6. When it looks ready, add the coconut milk, reserved vegetables, and mix it well.
7. Let it simmer for only a few minutes, add the shredded basil leaves, and than turn the fire off. (stir in the slurry now if desired)
8. Top it off with peanuts or cashews that you've warmed in the oven or in a pan and serve.

Wow, that seems like a really good recipe. I always look to Thai restaurants for my weekly dose of Thai food, but now, I can actually make it at home like they do at the Food Network! I love the Food Network especially Rachel ray and all her little kitchen controversies.

Have you guys noticed any recipe or any host in the Food Network that you like?

Obviously, you have to like Alton Brown if you're hanging out on the forums of Cooking For Engineers! Alton's show is great, but I do get tired of his silly costumes and over-the-top geek acting and campiness.

A lot of people enjoy watching Giada's Everyday Italian - the photography is literally food porn and she doesn't fill every second of the show with chatter like Rachael does.

I actually like both Giada and Rachel. Hey, I can't complain about Alton either. I've heard a lot of people praise Giada for her authenthic cooking talent, but I honestly think Rachel Ray fares well as a regular Jane and brings a lot of enthusiasm to cooking and food. Generally, I am a food network fan.

Wouldn't you love to tour the Food Network studios and meet these stars?

Just giving you guys the inside scoop, Bon Appetit is having a sweepstakes where a lucky food fan will win a trip to NY, have lunch with the Bon Appetit editors in their culinary studio and tour the Food Network studios.